Latest news with #UMI
United News of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Congress sees mystery in ship accidents off Kerala coast
Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 10 (UMI) Raising mystery on back-to-back ship accidents off Kerala coast, the Congress party in Kerala alleges the Government's apathy towards the incidents causes a threat to the environment and the fishermen community. Saying that the continuous accidents raise questions on maritime security, KPCC President Sunny Joseph MLA announced that Congress will stage demonstrations in all coastal districts on June 11, protesting against serious inaction towards ship accidents by the Kerala Government. "The Government decision not to file a criminal case against the owners of the sunken vessel MSC Elsa-3 is criminal negligence on the part of it and a betrayal of the coastal people and fishermen." Several containers with hazardous chemicals that sank near the coast could create serious environmental consequences. It has become clear that the Government's policy is to save the company and recover the compensation from the insurance company. The Government has no guarantee that the insurance company will provide an amount sufficient to solve the environmental impacts. UNI DS BD
News18
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
20 Unmissable Highlights From BTS Star V's Time In The Military
Last Updated: During his 18-month-long military service, BTS' V not only kept his fans entertained with new projects but also managed to win numerous awards. Even when BTS' Kim Taehyung, aka V, was wearing the military uniform and fulfilling his duties under the Special Task Force of the Military Police Corps, he proved that he was a real pop star. Following his enlistment in December 2023, ARMYs expected a quiet period. But they were taken by surprise when the BTS star continued to release new projects even during his 18-month-long service. Now that his mandatory service ended on June 10, let's take a look at all his accomplishments in the past year and a half. V released his first solo album, Layover, in September 2023, just months before enlisting in the military. On December 20, 2023, it became the top-selling solo album in Japan. According to Oricon Charts' year-end rankings, Layover ranked at No. 16. Making A Mark On Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Charts V's song Wherever U R with singer-songwriter UMI made it onto both the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart and the Hot R&B Songs chart on Billboard. This was the first time that the BTS singer entered the charts as a soloist. Won Big At The Seoul Music Awards At the 33rd Seoul Music Awards, which took place in January 2024, V won a 'Main Award", and his album Layover was named Fan Choice of the Year. It was the first time he was nominated for his solo project. Went Viral For IU's MV Love Wins All V starred in IU's music video Love Wins All, which became a hit. Wedding-theme photos of him and IU trended on the Chinese social media platform Weibo with over 100 million views. The MV itself has a whopping 95 million views on YouTube. Bagged His First-Ever Korea Brand Award Thanks to his appearances in variety shows like In the Soop: Friendcation and Jinny's Kitchen, Taehyung was honoured with the Male Idol Variety Star award at the 2024 Korea Brand Awards, which took place in January 2024. Topped Song Downloads In South Korea His solo English single FRI(END)S, released in March 2024, was a hit. The track topped South Korea's Circle Chart's Download Chart, even without any promotions. Won Two K-pop Music Show Trophies Despite not actively promoting his single FRI(END)S, the song managed to secure the first-place spot on the music show M Countdown for two weeks straight. Won First iHeartRadio Music Award V's solo album Layover won the Favourite Debut Album award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in 2024. Peaked On The UK Charts FRI(END)S reached No. 13 on the U.K. Official Chart, leaving behind his song Slow Dancing, which peaked at No. 24 on the same chart in 2023. Released His Own Photobook Expanding his creativity, V surprised his fans by releasing his own photobook in July 2024. Titled Type 1, the book features peaceful everyday moments of the K-pop idol, where he enjoys his quiet life. Won Honours At FACT Music Awards Even without attending the award show, BTS' V won big during the 2023 and 2024 Fact Music Awards. He bagged the award for Best Music – Fall in 2023 for Slow Dancing and the Best Music – Spring award in 2024 for FRI(END)S. 100 Million Views On Love Me Again MV In August 2024, V's music video for Love Me Again, a single from his album Layover, hit the 100 million mark on YouTube, that too, in less than a year of its release. Honoured At The First-Ever Korea Grand Music Awards At the first Korea Grand Music Awards in November 2024, the 29-year-old K-pop idol was awarded the Trend of the Year in the Solo Artist category. Won His First MAMA Award After several nominations in 2022 and 2023, Taehyung finally won a MAMA award in 2024. He was named one of the Top 10 Fan Choice Male Artists alongside RM, Jimin and Jungkook. Song With His Best Friend V teamed up with his close friend, ballad singer, Park Hyo Shin, for a cosy winter duet titled Winter Ahead, a jazz-pop that fans loved with all their heart. Sang A Rendition Of White Christmas In December 2024, V fulfilled his dream by releasing White Christmas, as a duet with the late legend Bing Crosby. This holiday song touched fans all over the world. Topped Holiday Charts Twice Both Winter Ahead and White Christmas reached No. 1 on Billboard's Holiday Digital Song Sales chart within a week of each other. That turned out to be a perfect gift for his birthday, as he turned 29 on December 30. Fans Donated In Yeontan's Memory In December last year, V shared that his beloved pet dog Yeontan had passed away. Following this, his fans chose to raise money in Yeontan's memory and donate to the Korean Animal Welfare Association for V's birthday that year. Fans managed to raise around 1.23 million Korean Won (approx. $908). Donated To Wildfire Relief In March 2025, V donated 200 million Korean Won (approx. $147,504) to the Korean Red Cross to help his country recover from the devastating wildfires. V's hard work as a soloist was recognised internationally when he received a nomination at the first-ever Music Awards Japan in its Special Award: Oshi-Katsu Request Artist of the Year category. First Published: June 10, 2025, 11:07 IST
Forbes
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
BTS' V Accomplishments During His South Korean Military Service
As V began the enlistment process to fulfill his mandatory South Korean military service in late 2023, the BTS superstar continued his ongoing global takeover without skipping a beat. V, whose full name is Kim Taehyung, enlisted for his service on December 11, 2023, and was soon assigned to fulfill his duties under the Special Task Force of the Military Police Corp. From dropping chart-topping solo singles to racking up awards from around the world, alongside new projects like his own photo book, unexpected duets, and charity donations, V's military service period still managed to be a springboard for creativity and generosity. As his duty wraps on June 10, 2025, it's clear that even in uniform, V's star power never dimmed — if anything, it's only shone brighter. Let's take a look at some of the biggest accomplishments from the last 18 months. On December 20, 2023, just days after V enlisted, Japan's Oricon Charts revealed its 2023 year-end rankings with the news that his Layover album ranked at No. 16 for the year. With 15 albums by bands or duos ahead of Layover, V earned the distinction of being the highest-ranked soloist among all releases that year. With the December 30 release of his collaboration track 'Wherever U R' with rising singer-songwriter UMI, American fans' love of the track helped it land on both the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart and Hot R&B Songs chart on Billboard. This marked V's first time entering the R&B and hip-hop charts as a soloist. The 33rd Seoul Music Awards took place on January 2, 2024, where V won a 'Main Award' at the show while Layover earned the honor of Fan Choice of the Year. It was V's first time nominated as a soloist at the show. While getting the chance to show off his acting chops in IU's 'Love Wins All' video is an accomplishment, V's work in the visual delivered virtual results across platforms even with the limited promotion he was able to show. Fans noted how music video photos of IU and V entered the Trending Topics on the Chinese social platform Weibo, earning more than 100 million views for their 'wedding'-themed photos. Meanwhile, multiple clips from the video have earned millions of views across TikTok, showcasing the broad appeal of the visual. Since its January 2024 unveiling, the 'Love Wins All' video has garnered more than 95 million views and continues to gain momentum month by month. The 2024 Korea Brand Awards surveyed over 288,000 people across Korea and Vietnam to honor the celebrities and brands that experts and fans think are leading new trends. The 2024 ceremony took place on January 9, where V was honored with the Male Idol Variety Star award, thanks to his growing recognition across reality shows like In the Soop: Friendcation and two seasons of Jinny's Kitchen. After the release of his solo single 'FRI(END)S' on March 15, 2024, the all-English song managed to top the Download Chart of South Korea's Circle Chart despite the star not being able to promote it actively. Following its release, 'FRI(END)S' managed to secure the first-place spot on the popular live performance show M Countdown, where almost all current K-pop songs can win the coveted Number One of the week. Those with the highest mix of fan votes, downloads, album sales, and social media activity are named the winner for the week, and 'FRI(END)S' snatched the top title for two weeks despite V not being able to join on stage. While BTS have been consistently taking home trophies from the iHeartRadio Music Awards since their first nomination in 2018, V landed his first win as a solo artist when Layover won Favorite Debut Album. V's success with 'FRI(END)S' continued overseas as the track hit Number 13 on the U.K. Official Chart, surpassing his career-best Number 24 peak from 2023's 'Slow Dancing,' to become V's highest-charting song in the U.K. yet. In an expansion of his creative offerings to the world, V released a 224-page hardcover photo book, Type 1, in July 2024. According to the announcement, the star was involved in every step of the process, from planning to production, with the book described as capturing 'V's moments of complete rest, revealing his comfortable and natural self as he takes a break from his busy schedule to enjoy some time alone.' Despite needing to be absent during the 2023 and 2024 shows, the Fact Music Awards still awarded him at both ceremonies. In the best Music Category that has a winner for each season, 'Slow Dancing' won the award for Best Music - Fall in 2023, with 'FRI(END)S' winning the Best Music - Spring award in 2024, proving Kim Taehyung's music is one for all seasons. V hit the 100-million mark on YouTube with 'Love Me Again.' Shortly after 1AM local time in Korea on August 3, 2024, the music video for Layover's first single, 'Love Me Again,' was confirmed to have surpassed 100 million views. The video hit the milestone in less than a year after its release in Summer of 2023. The newly created Korea Grand Music Awards honored V at its first ceremony in November 2024 with the Trend of the Year in the Solo artist category. Alongside V, chart-topping singer and 2022 Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 honoree Lee Chanwon won Trend of the Year in the Trot singer category, rising girl group UNIS won in the Group category, and Park Jihyun was named Trend of the Year in the Rookie category. After seven previous nominations in 2022 and 2023 at the MAMA Awards across categories in Album of the Year, Best Vocal Performance - Male Solo and Best OST, our V finally took home his first statue after being named in the Fans' Choice Top 10 - Male category for 2024. Even better: his band mates RM, Jimin and Jung Kook also were part of the Top 10 as well. It's not often one of the world's biggest pop stars gets to drop a song with one of his besties, but 'Winter Ahead' allowed V and his personal friend Park Hyo Shin, a well-known balladeer in Korea, to team up for a seasonal jazz-pop collaboration. Perhaps even more rare than duetting with your best friend would be duetting with your idol — especially if that idol has long passed away. But for a long-in-the-making project between V and the estate of the late Bing Crosby, the two singers were brought together to record a new take on the holiday classic, 'White Christmas.' V has long expressed his admiration for the crooning legend, which soon got the attention of the Crosby family, who shared their blessing and excitement for the release. V has long shared his love for the Christmas season with multiple gifts of new music and holiday-themed tracks for fans. In December 2024, listeners delivered him two new presents when both his songs 'Winter Ahead' with Park Hyo Shin and 'White Christmas' with Bing Crosby went to Number One on Billboard's Holiday Digital Song Sales chart within a week of each other. No doubt, it was a lovely gift for the star's 29th birthday on December 30 that year. On December 2, 2024, V shared the news that his beloved pet dog Yeontan had died in a heartfelt statement on his Instagram. Fans had watched Yeontan grow up with the group, with V even featuring his pet Pomeranian in the packaging and photoshoot for his Layover album. While V could have chosen to keep such personal heartbreak a private matter, his words inspired fans to raise money and donate to the Korean Animal Welfare Association in Yeontan's name for V's birthday that year. The association thanked fans for donating 1.23 million Korean won (approximately $908 today) towards animal futures and stated that they would look forward to supporting V in the future as well. While serving his country in the military, V also helped out by donating 200 million Korean won (approximately $147,504 today) to the Korea Red Cross to support recovery efforts following wildfires across the country in March 2025. With just a handful of singles released in 2024, V still managed to earn a nomination at the first-ever Music Awards Japan in its Special Award: Oshi-Katsu Request Artist of the Year category, where he is competing among other major Asian acts like Tomorrow X Together from Korea, SB19 from the Philippines and more. The winners will be announced later this year — and should he win, maybe V can pick up the award in person.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miley Cyrus cries over a doomed relationship this New Music Friday
Columbia Records and Live Nation present a Miley Cyrus and XYZ Films Production Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus Another week, another batch of new songs from our favorite LGBTQ+ (and adjacent) musicians to add to your playlists! Miley Cyrus continues her new album rollout with "More to Lose," David Archuleta enters his flirty era on "Can I Call You," singer-songwriter Jake Wesley Rogers is ready to sing "In The Key Of Love" on his debut album, and Kali Uchis releases her sixth studio album Sincerely. And the collabs are stacked this week! Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams teamed up with Moses Sumney for "I Like It I Like It," Halsey and Amy Lee combine their powers for the Ballerina soundtrack, Doechii joins The Weeknd and Playboi Carti on a remix of "Timeless," and UMI and 6LACK face some "HARD TRUTHS" on their new R&B track. Scroll through to listen to this week's best new bops, and follow this writer's New Music Friday playlist on Spotify. Miley Cyrus is otherworldly in her ethereal new ballad "More to Lose." Time to accept some hard truths with UMI and 6LACK's steamy new R&B track. Kali Uchis channels Old Hollywood in the morose music video for "All I Can Say." Jake Wesley Rogers's debut album has arrived, and "Happy Accidents" is just one of the stellar songs on In The Key of Love. Moses Sumney & Hayley Williams - I Like It I Like It [Lyric Video] The duo we didn't know we needed? Moses Sumney and Hayley Williams show off some insane vocals on "I Like It I Like It." Maren Morris realizes she was always "too good for your ass anyway" on her new track. David Archuleta's flirty new track delivers a smooth guitar lick and his sultriest vocals. Halsey and Evanescence frontman Amy Lee revive the 2000s emo rock ballad for the film Ballerina. Rapper Cortisa Star brings the drama on her latest. Kesha joins k-pop group f5ve's for their banger "Sugar Free Venom." Ready to "Sweat"? Add Snow Wife's latest banger to your workout playlists! Latin superstar Karol G released a song to accompany her new Netflix film Tomorrow Was Beautiful. Kesha's latest is an A.G. Cook remix to "YIPEE-KI-YAY." Lord Huron - Looking Back (Official Video) Lord Huron gets nostalgic on their latest single "Looking Back." Boyfriend and Jake Shears are ready to "FIGHT" on their new single. The Weeknd enlists Doechii for his latest remix of "Timeless." It feels illegal to make a song this good, but PinkPantheress did it anyway. Rio Romeo is heaven's most wanted on the playful new track "God's Got Something Out For Me" New pop girl? SAILORR is letting these "BITCHES BREW" on her aesthetic new music video. Fiona Apple says she "observed thousands of court hearings as a courtwatcher," which inspired her latest song "Pretrial ( Let Her Go Home)."
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kali Uchis, UMI, Naomi Sharon, And More New R&B For Hard Truths
The week in R&B, we're exploring the process behind communicating a hard truth. It's not always rewarding or timely, but remains necessary to honor one's own heart. To soundtrack such emotions, Kali Uchis, UMI, 6LACK, and Naomi Sharon are among those who released new music that reflect these deep feelings. We're also obsessed with recent offerings from Brandon, TA Thomas, Keke Palmer, SAILORR, Jhonni Blaze, Tyla, Honey Bxby, and more. Check out VIBE's top new R&B picks below. Kali Uchis' fifth album, Sincerely, is her most vulnerable work of art yet. As she romanticizes her life since becoming a mother, the LP—written and executive produced by the songbird— weaves together themes of love, healing, and fighting to maintain her peace. Per AP, the singer notes, 'I really did make the music that I needed for my grieving process, for just the place that I'm at in my life right now.' The album has a sentimental touch as well as she immortalized her mother on 'Sunshine & Rain…,' and featured her son's laugh on 'ILYSMIH.' UMI's new duet with 6LACK is a hypnotizing, sultry record that embodies the 'peaceful [albeit] electrifying' energy UMI is known for. Together, they fluidly explore and stress the importance of honest connection and communicating hard truths. The singer explained in a statement, ''HARD TRUTHS' delves into the complexities of self-awareness, the emptiness of materialism, and the importance of genuine connection. Alongside 6LACK, the lyrics explore the contrast between external appearances and internal realities. Emphasizing the need to confront uncomfortable truths about oneself and relationships.' UMI described 'HARD TRUTHS' as her 'reintroduction to the world after a long shadow period of my life.' She added, 'I've purged many parts of myself to understand the core of who I am now. That journey began with me asking myself the very things I sing about in this song … (what matters to me?) So it felt right to start telling my story here.' Naomi Sharon just speaks to your soul and her new EP, The Only Love We Know, is proof of that. The soul-stirring project is a story of acceptance, understanding, emotional maturity, and forward progression. She explains, 'This EP is more about finding happiness within yourself and embracing the positive things in life. Love still plays a role, but now there is a deeper understanding that true love comes from within. If something does not work out, that is okay too. It is about self-love and independence.' Storytelling and melody are safely intertwined and it's easy to get lost within the world she's created. Allow yourself to do so. Keke Palmer is finally telling the full account of what went down behind the scenes with Ushergate 2023 and her now ex-boyfriend. 'This one is personal […] me giving voice to the feelings I buried,' the singer shared on Instagram. 'Sometimes the closure we need doesn't come from a conversation— it comes from being honest with ourselves. That's what this song is. My peace. My clarity. My way of letting go […] I'm not here to play perfect. I'm here to be honest. I'm just here to be Keke.' 'My Confession' is a taste of what may be her most personal album to-date. Tyla is back with her first solo single of 2025. Following the success of her eponymous debut album, the international phenom returns with 'Bliss.' It's a vibrant tune with an air of romance, flirtation, and sensuality. 'Burnin' desire when you/ Throw your arms all around me/ Need to feel all your passion/ You and I create magic,' she sings on the chorus. She first previewed the record at Coachella. When speaking on her new approach to music, Tyla shared, 'I've changed a lot in a short amount of time because I was kind of forced to— with how fast I had to adapt to everything. I don't think it's going to be the same energy at all, especially with what I've started making. It's different, but also still Tyla.' SAILORR's highly-anticipated new album, FROM FLORIDA'S FINEST, is here. The LP is a strong display of wit and honesty that features fan favorites like 'POOKIE'S REQUIEM,' 'DOWN BAD,' and 'W1LL U L13?' and new standouts like the relatable 'SOFT GIRL SUMMER' and the audacious 'UR MOTHER'S SON.' 'I do music to open myself and those I love up to opportunities we wouldn't otherwise have,' SAILORR details. 'In the world of art – we all mesh them together to make the world a better place. With my music, I want to make people feel like, 'Yeah, I can and I will do what I want.'' With her first release in nearly three years, Jenevieve's 'Haiku' is dreamy, tender, and introspective. It's as though she captured the delicate feeling of yearning for someone and put it on a song. It feels like the song you'd hear on Mara Brock Akil's Forever or something similar. It's sweet and endearing— something R&B needs more of. Honey Bxby's '3AM' is the anthem for 'late-night longing.' She feels like a cross between Keyshia Cole and Lil Mo, especially with this record interpolating the latter's classic '4Ever.' The inclusion of Toosii's flavor rounds out the seductive jam and really makes you want to have it on repeat. '3AM' will be featured on her upcoming EP, Raw Honey, out on May 30. Jhonni Blaze is marking her mark on R&B and 'What If I' might be our favorite record of hers thus far. Of the ballad's conception, the singer told VIBE exclusively, 'I got my heart broken on April 1 [and] it took me seven days in real life to just ignore the person and know my worth. In the course of that, I did this video. This song is about 'what if I did it to you, how would you feel? How would you feel if I broke your heart and cheated or misused you?' So, I asked myself how long would it take to get over something like that and are you truly over it?' Think Mary J. Blige's 'Seven Days' or Monica's 'U Should've Known Better.' The visual is just as enticing as the record itself. Brandon's debut album, Before You Go, is a heartfelt, earnest depiction of emotions, heartbreak, and exploration of both one's self and art. With intimate yet sweet tracks like 'You Look Like Love,' 'Right Back,' and 'September,' Brandon embraces 'the complexities of love, the beauty of uncertainty, and the inevitability of change.' Written, recorded, and produced entirely in his home studio, Brandon used many external factors to help mold what Before You Go became and thus, he made a project he will be forever proud of. Blossoming songbird, Miriah Renee has issued the newest 'f**k-around-and-find-out' anthem, aptly titled 'Brand New.' The song breathes new life into 3LW's 'No More' as Miriah finds the strength to overcome toxicity and settling for the bare minimum. 'This record allows me as a woman to flip things a little and talk some s**t,' siad Miriah about the track. 'Usually the s**t-talking is from the guys, so I figured a fun female anthem will be the perfect script-flip on them. The 3LW sample was a no-brainer.' The visual continues to play on the 2000s classic as it simulates the Sims video game. The UK has done it again. Nippa is the newest sensation hailing from across the pond and his new EP, Hope She Hears This, is a warm introduction to his catalog. With songs like the familiar-natured 'Insecure,' the tug 'o war of 'Sum'n Serious' or the weighted 'Unfair,' the crooner gets candid about the emotional complexity behind a fading relationship while blending his take on R&B with nostalgia in a way that makes us want to return for more. TA Thomas is such a welcomed presence within R&B, who's really bringing back the heart of the genre— when it had roots in the church. With his new EP, Southern Soul, the crooner delivers a masterful hybrid of blues, gospel, and soul through tracks like the divine 'Preach,' the lovestruck 'Risky,' and the soulful 'Girl Of Mine.' Of the deeply reverent project, TA explained, 'This project came straight from my roots— from the Delta to your ears. Curated by the Deep South, this EP is all heart, heritage, and Southern Soul […] I remember being a kid, riding with my pops on the weekends, and he'd have Sir Charles Jones' 'Is Anybody Lonely' playing. I didn't even know what Southern Soul was at the time but I felt a deep connection to it! Fast forward to now, and I'm dropping a project that not only honors that sound, but takes YOU my day ones, my supporters on a journey through the music that shaped me into the artist I am today. This is more than music. This is a piece of my heart.' More from Keke Palmer Saves Tina Knowles From A Wardrobe Malfunction Coco Jones, DESTIN CONRAD, Sasha Keable And More New R&B For Hard Launches Keke Palmer Podcast Episode Featuring Jonathan Majors Reportedly Scrapped
